No Bait/No Dogs in Wisconsin?

[SARKID]

So depending on which unit I decide to try for, I'm either a year or four out from submitting for a WI black bear tag (looking to hunt Marinette County). I don't in any way object to other people using bait or hounds to get their bears, but it's not the way I want to go about getting my bear when the time comes. No judgement on others, it's just not the experience I'm after.

What I envision for my hunt is to do some solid scouting to locate a bear's core area, set up there and try and call it in with predator calls. I know this is something that is done a little more often in the western states where spot & stalk is common, but has anyone on the forum had success in the woods of the mid-west? Is it even worth my time trying? I've not heard or read of anyone attempting to do it in WI, but there's no way I'm the first person to think of it. Are there more effective options for me without using bait or dogs?

I intend to start coyote hunting this winter and for the next few seasons to learn and build some fundamentals. There's a lot of known-unknowns and unknown-unknowns I'd like to encounter before I have a bear tag in my pocket.

[Bowhunting Brian]

Good luck getting a bear without bait here. Bear and deer are two different ends of the spectrum. Bait is needed.

[Dewey]

I know of at least two bear early in the bow season that have come in to a fawn bleat looking for an easy meal. It can be done in the right location. Both were in big swamps.

[Horizontal Hunter]

I live in Massachusetts where baiting and dogs are prohibited methods for hunting black bear. You are allowed to bait up to 10 days prior to the season but ALL bait hast to be removed at least 10 days prior to the season starting.

I have not gotten out much these last few years as I am having a hard time getting around due to some ongoing health issues.

Doug Boze who is a member here, screen name Saylean, has a good book on the topic titled: The Ultimate Guide To Black Bear Hunting". It is a great read and I have read it several times. It has a large amount of info on calling in bears.

Another great source of information here is Freelance Bowhunter.

Last year I started a thread titled Black Bear Hunting Book Recomemdations and it my give you a good starting point.

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?t=39374

Bob

[stash59]

I just know most bears called in out west are in the spring.

[SARKID]

I live in Massachusetts where baiting and dogs are prohibited methods for hunting black bear. You are allowed to bait up to 10 days prior to the season but ALL bait hast to be removed at least 10 days prior to the season starting.

I have not gotten out much these last few years as I am having a hard time getting around due to some ongoing health issues.

Doug Boze who is a member here, screen name Saylean, has a good book on the topic titled: The Ultimate Guide To Black Bear Hunting". It is a great read and I have read it several times. It has a large amount of info on calling in bears.

Another great source of information here is Freelance Bowhunter.

Last year I started a thread titled Black Bear Hunting Book Recomemdations and it my give you a good starting point.

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?t=39374

Bob

I've added the Ultimate Guide to my Christmas list, thanks for the tip!

[brancher147]

No baiting in wv. You can use dogs in the December hound season or week early season in September. But I hunt mainly without dogs. I really do not care to shoot a bear and they are more of a nuisance here. But bear and deer archery and firearms seasons run together so I can shoot a bear when deer hunting. I have had to pass on 3 of biggest bears of my life this year because no way to get them out by myself. Have seen over 20 bears during season while deer hunting. I see no reason you should need bait or dogs if in a high density area, just hunt food sources, bedding and crossings like a deer. Never heard of anyone using a call but don’t know why a fawn bleat wouldn’t work- except it will not be spring when you are hunting.

[Freelance Bowhunter]

It would be quite an accomplishment if you could pull it off, but frankly, your odds are very low so you should know that going in.

Finding an individual bear's "core area" as you say is virtually impossible because they travel widely and may bed tonight a mile away from where they bedded last night. Your best bet would be to find the areas where they are using natural foods and try to call in those areas. There is a window of time where bears feed on corn, and that might be another option, to locate where they are feeding and either set up a stand or call.

If you are committed to doing it without bait, more power to you but that's a tall order indeed.

[Dhurtubise]

Bait changes natural travel for deer and bear too. If you are hunting areas that are heavily baited you are unfortunately probably going to have to relate your hunt to known bait locations - bed to feed type thing. Up here in Northwestern Ontario I like to go to big new cuts and hunt them spot and stalk. That’s a fun hunt with no bait and no dogs.

[Paca]

Shot my last bear in waupaca county no bait. It was the second harvest without any bait in that spot. Spot is very unique. Good luck getting them with out bait in 99% of the other spots

[218er]

Google, Douglas boze bear hunting podcast. He does a pretty thorough interview about the basics of calling for bears and how it works for him. He has written two books about it as well. I think the toughest part would be getting in close enough proximity to them to have them reaact and come in. I’m sure it can be done. There are many areas of the country that don’t allow baiting or dogs and bears get shot every year still.

[Paca]

The tags would need to be over the counter, if this would be the case. Especially in zone c, it would be nearly impossible to call a bear in. All land is private. A guy could sit on his 40 acres and call for 40 years before a bear would show itself.
Up north, ud have every Tom dick and Harry moaning and groaning like a dying whatever, bears would catch on quick.
The license would also have to be much cheaper.

[homelessadam]

Used to do a lot of coyote hunting in Jackson county when we had a family cabin up there. Called in 1 bear in thousands of stands over several years of coyote hunting. And I’m sure more came but circled or just sat and watched for movement. Out west they are successful because they can see them. We had more bears than that come into the grill with burgers and brats during the summer. Can’t imagine burning a a tag waiting for one to come to a call that took years to get but Good luck. Hope it works out,it would be pretty great.

[ghoasthunter]

hunt there beds beast style it works. pattern is acorns too bed good thing is bears move early alot of times. in the fall a bear will bed in same location and hit a good food source till its gone then move on. just dont get winded they act more like a mature buck.